Online holiday shoppers value this feature more than discounts
A new survey reveals consumers will offer a certain amount of flexibility on price this holiday season in exchange for one specific offering.
When choosing between similarly priced in-stock retailers, 62% of surveyed U.S. consumers say faster shipping is the deciding factor in making a holiday purchase, aside from price, according to the annual Peak Season Consumer Survey from third-party logistics provider Radial, a bpostgroup company.
In addition, two-thirds of respondents say they would give up a 5% discount to guarantee their delivery window. Among younger respondents, nearly one-in-three would still choose delivery certainty even over a 20% discount.
The percentage of shoppers expecting two–to-three-day delivery increased from 19% in 2023 to 30% in 2025. While only 7% say same- or next-day delivery is a reasonable expectation, tolerance for weeklong waits dropped to 23% from 26% in 2024, and only 3% of respondents are willing to wait longer than that.
And while 74% of respondents believe online retailer claims like “ships in one–two business days,” only 53% believe stock scarcity messaging. Eighty-five percent of respondents track their packages at least every few days, with one in four checking multiple times a day, especially young shoppers.
Online purchases through major retailers like Amazon and Target continue to dominate, growing from 69% to 72% year-over-year.
Reasons for abandoning an online shopping cart
Nearly half of respondents have abandoned purchases due to a complicated checkout process, and 49% say they abandon carts when a site doesn’t feel secure. Another 31% walk away when preferred payment options like PayPal or BNPL aren’t available.
Holiday budget issues emerge
Close to six-in-10 (58%) respondents say they’re tightening their holiday budgets, up from 38% in 2024. While this shift is largely driven by broader economic pressure, tariffs are also having an impact, as 35% of respondents are planning to spend less specifically in response to tariff-related concerns.
[READ MORE: Consumer sentiment edges up in July but worries about tariffs, economy persist]
Other leading reasons for reducing holiday spending include a greater focus on deals and promotions (34%), and shopping earlier to avoid shipping delays (22%).
“This holiday peak season, consumers aren’t just buying products, they’re buying confidence,” said Tom Schmitt, CEO of Radial. “Brands and retailers who stand out this season will be the ones who can scale quickly, fulfill and deliver with reliability, and eliminate friction at every step of the click to delivery experience. Meeting demands around speed, transparency, and responsiveness isn’t a nice-to-have anymore; it’s the foundation for long-term loyalty.”
Radial conducted the survey with Dynata in August 2025, targeting 1,000 general U.S.-based consumers over 18 years of age.
